The Lost Pearl in Aussie Readers

Aug 17, 2018 Brenda rated it it was amazing

Shelves: net-galley, aussie-authors, 5000-books, read-on-kindle, own-read, arc, 2018-release, historical-fiction

Catherine McGarrie loved her home in Hawaii. She and her parents had moved from mainland America as her father was a United States Navy Rear Admiral, but even with the talk of war, the families of the forces were complacent – the peace, tranquility and beauty of Honolulu meant that surely war wouldn’t come to them. When sixteen-year-old Catherine met Charlie, a US navy officer, on the night of her birthday party, she was smitten. Charlie was her brother, Eddie’s best friend and therefore by his Catherine McGarrie loved her home in Hawaii. She and her parents had moved from mainland America as her father was a United States Navy Rear Admiral, but even with the talk of war, the families of the forces were complacent – the peace, tranquility and beauty of Honolulu meant that surely war wouldn’t come to them. When sixteen-year-old Catherine met Charlie, a US navy officer, on the night of her birthday party, she was smitten. Charlie was her brother, Eddie’s best friend and therefore by his side often. As Catherine and Charlie fell in love, they knew they needed to keep their feelings secret – her parents wouldn’t approve – but their love was real.

But the 7th December 1941 changed their lives, and many others, forever. Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese – America was at war. The more than two thousand killed that day was shocking; Catherine and her mother were sent to the mainland, then on to Australia to ride out the war.

Seventy-five years later and Catherine was ninety-one. Not once had Charlie left her thoughts, even though she had married and had four sons. Kit, her beloved granddaughter was her joy. But with Catherine’s passing, it was left to Kit to search into the past and with little to go on, what she found was a shock to say the least. Her background as a journalist meant Kit was determined – against all advice – to find the answers. But would she? Could she? Three quarters of a century was a lot of years to search through…

Heartbreaking, traumatic – filled with sadness and hope; love and secrets – The Lost Pearl by Aussie author Emily Madden is an epic family drama which spans decades. The wrongs inflicted on young people back in those days was horrific; how they survived against all odds showed their courage and tenacity – many had their spirits broken, many came through it – but never unscathed. An exceptional read, The Lost Pearl is one I highly recommend.

And just to add: I found part of the blurb is completely incorrect after reading the novel.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my digital ARC to read and review.
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Sep 16, 2018 Helen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Awesome, fabulous, amazing where do I start? I loved this one from page one I inhaled, devoured every word a story set across three generations from Hawaii 1941 to Sydney 2016 a young Catherine (Kitty) McGarrie meets the love of her life, her soul mate on her sixteenth birthday and what happens is an amazing story of love, heartache and a lost pearl, make sure you have a box tissues handy and wipe the calendar because you won’t want to put this one down.

Kitty is loving living in Honolulu with he Awesome, fabulous, amazing where do I start? I loved this one from page one I inhaled, devoured every word a story set across three generations from Hawaii 1941 to Sydney 2016 a young Catherine (Kitty) McGarrie meets the love of her life, her soul mate on her sixteenth birthday and what happens is an amazing story of love, heartache and a lost pearl, make sure you have a box tissues handy and wipe the calendar because you won’t want to put this one down.

Kitty is loving living in Honolulu with her father who is a Rear Admiral, her mother and brother who is also in the navy, her best friend is Penny and life is good, her mother is very upper class and organizes a big sixteenth birthday party and there she meets Charlie a sailor from the wrong side of the tracks but even at sixteen Kitty knows where her heart belongs, and Charlie is hit with cupids arrow as well love at first sight, but with talk of the Americans joining the war and Kitty and her mother being sent to Australia for safety, Kitty plans a day with Charlie a fabulous day of love and hope, but the world as they know it changes when early on the morning of December 7 Pearl Harbour is bombed and lives are lost and changed forever.

Seventy five years later Catherine has had a fall and in hospital and when her precious granddaughter Kit comes to visit she tells her a secret, a secret of a lost love and Kit a journalist takes on trying to find out more about this secret, but it could break a family apart or bring them together, a family that has learnt never to ask their mother or grandmother about her life in Hawaii before she came to Australia. Kit returns to Hawaii for the seventy fifth anniversary of Pearl Harbour and here she uncovers a lot more about her grandmother and will she discover a love for herself?

This is a must read book, I am still crying while writing this review, it is just beautiful, the research must have caused a lot of tears MS Madden, not just about Pearl Harbour but about things that happened here in Australia, it is emotional, moving and wonderful, I highly recommend it, truly it is one of the best books I have read this year and is going to stay with me for a long time to come. You rock MS Madden you made me smile and cry with this gorgeously written story thank you.
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Oct 08, 2018 Janine rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: for-review

The Lost Pearl is a wonderful multi-generational story set in several timezones. It starts in Hawaii before the bombing of Pearl Harbour and tells the story of 16 yo Catherine (Kitty) McGarrie and her family. They are a military family with Kitty’s father and brother in the service. On the night of her 16th birthday she meets Charlie and is immediately smitten with him. Their friendship grows and blossoms, then Peal Harbour is bombed with devastating consequences for Kitty and her family. She an ...more

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May 14, 2019 Nicola Marsh added it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, aussie-authors, romance, read-in-2019

I loved curling up with this book!

A wonderful story alternating between the events around Pearl Harbour in WW2 and current day.

I loved the sweeping romance and the characters that came alive through this vivid story.

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Oct 30, 2018 Marg rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-book, aww2018

I enjoyed listening to this one and I have shared some of my thoughts here

http://www.theintrepidreader.com/2018...

Including how this book inspired me to make Lemon Crunch Cake ...more

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Dec 23, 2020 Cathleen Ross rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Really enjoyable read that crosses two time lines. Loved the description of old Hawaii as I've been to most of the places described.
The bombing chapter was vivid and I could see it well in my imagination.
Well worth reading. ...more

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